Legislative attitudes toward MARTA tell us a lot
If you want to explore the dysfunctions of transportation policy in Georgia, here’s a great place to start:
The office of transportation planning director is the most important transportation job in Georgia, and the Legislature has an important voice in deciding who fills that post. The governor makes the appointment, but the House and Senate transportation committees both have a direct statutory duty to confirm or reject the governor’s choice.
So when Gov. Nathan Deal decided to fill the post with Toby Carr, a former director of the state Republican Party who has no training or professional experience in transportation planning, how did legislators react?
In the Senate they rubber-stamped Deal’s choice unanimously, with no serious questions raised; a House transportation subcommittee later did the same. Apparently, the idea of appointing a political functionary to the state’s most important professional transportation post bothers nobody. Democrats as well as Republicans have fallen meekly into line, lest they anger the powers that dole out dollars.
Sadly, this is not surprising. When metro Atlanta voters rejected the one-penny T-SPLOST this summer, they did so in part because of widespread belief that politics, not professional judgment, drives transportation policy in this state. And this is precisely the type of behavior they had in mind.
Now contrast that hands-off approach with the way legislators are approaching MARTA, which is sifting through a pool of four candidates — all of them well-qualified professionals — to replace Beverly Scott as its CEO. Under state law, MARTA’s independent board of directors makes the hiring decision, with no provision allowing state legislators to intervene.
But that isn’t stopping state Rep. Mike Jacobs of Brookhaven. As chairman of a legislative committee with oversight over MARTA, Jacobs acknowledged Tuesday that he is only “somewhat” aware of the credentials of the final four candidates.
“Am I in the [MARTA] boardroom making decisions? That’s not my role,” he said, insisting that his legislative committee has no intention of dictating which candidate to hire.
Yet Jacobs also made it clear that if the MARTA board makes the wrong decision, “legislators may be compelled to take action.” A wrong decision, he said, would be the hiring of a new CEO “who is not presently in Atlanta, who has never run a transit system that runs trains.”
Only one final candidate, MARTA deputy general manager and chief operating officer Dwight Ferrell, meets those requirements. And while Ferrell may conceivably be the best candidate, Jacobs’ heavy-handed intervention could turn more independent-minded MARTA board members against him.
To Jacobs’ credit, he is honestly concerned about MARTA’s future and the looming financial crisis it faces. He is a great improvement over his predecessor as chair of the MARTA oversight committee, known as MARTOC. Former state Rep. Jill Chambers seemed to take a perverse glee in torturing the transit agency, and in public at least, legislative leaders did little to restrain her cruelty.
Jacobs, in contrast, describes MARTA as “an asset of great significance” to Georgia. When pressed, he acknowledges that despite its local reputation, the agency is well respected nationally as a cost-efficient provider of transit services. “There’s a perception that legislators as a group are hostile to MARTA,” he says, “but I’m a DeKalb legislator who appreciates MARTA’s importance to the state, sees the fiscal situation approaching critical mass and genuinely wants to see the situation addressed.”
Jacobs believes that an operational audit of MARTA by KPMG will soon recommend at least some areas in which the agency can cut its costs. If so, those recommendations ought to be pursued. But the truth is, MARTA is a generally well-run transit agency crippled by a hostile political environment. It is the only major transit system in the country forced to operate without financial support from the state, and it is handicapped by financial restrictions imposed by the state that other agencies do not face.
Yet when asked whether the Legislature bears any responsibility whatsoever for MARTA’s plight, Jacobs dodged the question. Because in the cultural conflict that passes for transportation debate in Georgia, MARTA is an agency that can do no right.
– Jay Bookman
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642 comments Add your comment
Bloomberg Troll
September 12th, 2012
2:18 pm
This is a meandering, self contradicting column.
You ridicule the state for being hands off with the State TPD.
But then you get mad that the state is hands off with respect to MARTA – as he said, he’s not involved in the decision – and the state stays hands off and doesn’t fund MARTA.
Ok.
MARTA isn’t the worst run agency, but it could use some serious improvement. The state funding thing is a red herring. MARTA has gobs of subsidies and can’t manage those, so more subsidies wouldn’t generally do much more good. MARTA needs to manage its existing budget better.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
September 12th, 2012
2:19 pm
So when Gov. Nathan Deal decided to fill the post with Toby Carr, a former director of the state Republican Party who has no training or professional experience in transportation planning, how did legislators react?
Doin’ a heckuv a job, Toby
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
September 12th, 2012
2:20 pm
JAY,
Deal is a joke but he’s not unlike his DEM counterparts in making such appointments.
The reason the SPLOST bill got creamed is because we simply don’t trust government with more of our money much less of coming up with a plan that actually addresses the issue..
Simple Truths
September 12th, 2012
2:22 pm
Jay’s first non-Romney hit piece arrives at 2:11 PM.
Welcome to the Occupation
September 12th, 2012
2:23 pm
Good post, but note the common roots between policy and politics in this statement: “When metro Atlanta voters rejected the one-penny T-SPLOST this summer, they did so in part because of widespread belief that politics, not professional judgment, drives transportation policy in this state.”
I would argue, on the contrary, that what the voters are rejecting is *too little* politics, not too much.
Jay
September 12th, 2012
2:25 pm
“Deal is a joke but he’s not unlike his DEM counterparts in making such appointments.”
Stevie Ray, the Dems haven’t held power in this state for more than a decade. At what point does that excuse wear out?
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:26 pm
This was printed in the newstand version of the AJC this morning. It’s hardly “fresh sheets.”
I guess the conversation was veering out of the DNC-approved safety zone downstairs……
Fred ™
September 12th, 2012
2:26 pm
Stevie Ray: The Republicans have controlled this state for 12 years now. Nice go on the “Deal is a joke but he’s not unlike his DEM counterparts in making such appointments” statement. Please tell me the LAST Democratic appointment and who exactly is Deal’s “counterpart.”
If Obama owns the Country after 3 years then the Republicans sure as HELL own the State and it’s multitude of problems after 12 years of rule.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:26 pm
“Stevie Ray, the Dems haven’t held power in this state for more than a decade. At what point does that excuse wear out?”
About the same time that blaming the current economy on Bush wears out.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:27 pm
Ben – 1
Bookman – 0
Jay
September 12th, 2012
2:27 pm
No, Ben. I always post my newspaper column here in the blog. It got delayed today because of breaking news. Anymore “insight” you care to share?
Fred ™
September 12th, 2012
2:27 pm
LOL Jay, be scared, REALLY scared. your 2:25 and my 2:26 means you were thinking like me. May I suggest counseling?
DannyX
September 12th, 2012
2:28 pm
“Jay’s first non-Romney hit piece arrives at 2:11 PM.”
And the first crybaby arrives at 2:22.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:28 pm
“Anymore “insight” you care to share?
See above.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:29 pm
Wasn’t it MARTA that an unemployed lady living off welfare in the projects on its board of directors not too long ago?
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:31 pm
“We are sick and tired of AHA,” said Laura Lawson, a resident leader of a public housing project and a former chairwoman of MARTA’s board of directors. “Do you think we’re going to allow this to happen? It’s time, it’s wartime.”
http://www.atlantahousing.org/pressroom/index.cfm?Fuseaction=printpubs_full&ID=160
LMAO
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
September 12th, 2012
2:33 pm
I knew it ! Jay has been laying off the Georgia transportation thing for too long.
I still think he has some land on a proposed MARTA line somewhere.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:33 pm
““Anymore “insight” you care to share?”
You mean like the fact that only 25% of MARTA’s revenues come from fares, and the rest is nothing but a taxpayer-subsidized boondoggle, wherein bus drivers often earn over $100K annually?
TaxPayer
September 12th, 2012
2:34 pm
As I believe Jay has already pointed out to us in the past, there was no real vote on TSPLOST. There was a vote to choose between two options for being taxed to fund Deal’s transportation plans.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:34 pm
Bus drivers making twice as much as teachers? SOMEBODY CALL THE TEACHERS UNIONS!!!
Fred ™
September 12th, 2012
2:35 pm
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:29 pm
Wasn’t it MARTA that an unemployed lady living off welfare in the projects on its board of directors not too long ago?
++++++++++++++++++++
Yes Mr. Boortz. Laura Lawton I believe her name was. They named her Chairman I remember. That was what, 15 to 20 years ago?
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
September 12th, 2012
2:36 pm
Needs to be dragged up here from downstairs –
Jay
September 12th, 2012
2:33 pm
Yes Ben, if by “not too long ago” you mean 10 or 15 years ago….
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
September 12th, 2012
2:36 pm
ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA/AP) –
“Officials with Atlanta’s transit system say they are adding cameras to all of the system’s buses, trains and mobility vans.
MARTA officials said the system will have cameras on buses on seven routes during an initial phase of the project that begins next week.
“The installation of the vehicle security camera system is an important enhancement that will provide a clear layer of security for MARTA customers and employees,” said MARTA General Manager/CEO Dr. Beverly A. Scott in March. “We want everyone to know that their safety is of utmost importance to MARTA, and we will take the necessary steps to ensure that they have a safe transit experience and work environment.”
The $17 million camera installation project is being funded, in part, with a $9 million grant from the Department of Homeland Security.”
QUESTION:
Is that $9 million grant from DHS for terrorism or just regular old Atlanta thuggery ?
Bloomberg Troll
September 12th, 2012
2:36 pm
I just hope MARTA picks an operator that reforms and dials back the bus service, and invests in rail and other “service corridors”, instead of running 3/4 empty buses all over this city constantly.
Transportation is about to change big time. MARTA should also be trying to anticipate a future with “driverless car fleets” that would serve people (even poorer people) better than buses.
Atlanta needs to drasticall reduce the bus system and grow the rail system over the next 10-15 years.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:37 pm
Maybe Bookman is smarter than I thought. I begin to see the connection here. Angry mob kills people in Libya, whereas you’ll be lucky if you escape a visit to any MARTA station without getting attacked by an angry mob.
Fred ™
September 12th, 2012
2:37 pm
AH here you go Mr. Boortz, I mean Shockley, it was Laura LawSon not LawTon. And it was only 13 years ago.
http://www.csmonitor.com/1998/0127/012798.us.us.6.html
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
September 12th, 2012
2:39 pm
“Democratic officials apologized Wednesday for mistakenly displaying an image of the Russian Navy during a tribute to America’s veterans at last week’s Democratic National Convention.”
That figures ………… most libs. wouldn’t know the U.S. Navy from their bathtub ducky.
jewcowboy
September 12th, 2012
2:40 pm
“It’s hardly “fresh sheets.””
Sheesh…the continual whining is getting old.
Jm
September 12th, 2012
2:41 pm
Ben. Do you have anything of substance to add?
jewcowboy
September 12th, 2012
2:41 pm
“You mean like the fact that only 25% of MARTA’s revenues come from fares, and the rest is nothing but a taxpayer-subsidized boondoggle, wherein bus drivers often earn over $100K annually?”
How much do fares contribute to roads?
Bloomberg Troll
September 12th, 2012
2:42 pm
“How much do fares contribute to roads?”
They’re called gas taxes.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:42 pm
“And it was only 13 years ago.”
Well I’m sure the people running MARTA have gotten a lot smarter in the last 13 years.
LMAO
Whatever
September 12th, 2012
2:43 pm
Jay,
“Stevie Ray, the Dems haven’t held power in this state for more than a decade. At what point does that excuse wear out?”
Really? When does the excuse run out on Bush being blamed by the Dems for everything?
I agree the excuses should stop on both sides but that was funny!
CJ
September 12th, 2012
2:43 pm
It is the only major transit system in the country forced to operate without financial support from the state, and it is handicapped by financial restrictions imposed by the state that other agencies do not face.
These two facts are fundamental to understanding why MARTA has struggled so much relative to their peers in other parts of the country.
Doggone/GA
September 12th, 2012
2:43 pm
“wherein bus drivers often earn over $100K annually?”
Well, look at it this way: who’s more likely to be the better, more careful driver – one how makes minimum wage or one who has $100,000 to lose?
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:44 pm
“How much do fares contribute to roads?”
“They’re called gas taxes.”
Shhhhh…don’t tell jewcowboy that buses run on roads too. That’ll really knock his Stetson off…..
Fred ™
September 12th, 2012
2:44 pm
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:42 pm
“And it was only 13 years ago.”
Well I’m sure the people running MARTA have gotten a lot smarter in the last 13 years.
LMAO
+++++++++++++++++
If they are like you they certainly haven’t. 100 years wouldn’t be long enough…….
jewcowboy
September 12th, 2012
2:44 pm
Bloomberg Troll,
“Atlanta needs to drasticall reduce the bus system and grow the rail system over the next 10-15 years.”
That would be awesome. Any idea how to pay for it?
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
September 12th, 2012
2:44 pm
WASHINGTON – “Intelligence experts and U.S. government officials are starting to view the attack in Libya that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others in Benghazi as a coordinated attack.”
Well, that’s brilliant.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:45 pm
Doggone….
Airline pilots earn in the $100K range. I submit to you that flying a 767 takes a little more skill, training, and responsibility.
You make yourself look silly trying to defend stuff liek that.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:47 pm
Fred,
I know you are, but what am I?
LMAO. I didn’t know they had DSL at after school care, glad you could join us.
F. Sinkwich
September 12th, 2012
2:47 pm
Since this is a transportation blog, I’m sure many of you would be interested in reading about the latest news about my fossil fuel travails.
Yep, it was time again to refuel the family truckster with fuel of the past. This time I patronized my local Kroger Fuel Center, a fine establishment. Unlike last time, the pump flew past the Benjamin line to $109.51 ($3.71 per gal). Believe it or not, I was kinda bummed out.
My thoughts turned to all the wonderful work O’bozo has done over the past four years to help the middle class get through these tough times. Using the lib ilk logic applied to our sorry economic situation, I concluded that the price would have been much higher had O’bozo not done the hard work he did at the beginning of his term. So I felt better. Poorer, but better.
Regarding Marta. I’ve paid into it for years, but it just doesn’t go where the family truckster does, so I don’t use it.
curious
September 12th, 2012
2:48 pm
I sincerely hope all the posters on your earlier articles are willing to enlist themselves or their descendants for WW3.
Keep letting Israel call the shots and that’s where we’ll be.
Anybody able to identify the time when we began having problems with Muslims?
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
September 12th, 2012
2:48 pm
“A team of about 50 Marines has been dispatched to Libya after attacks Tuesday on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi left four Americans dead including the U.S. ambassador, military officials told Fox News.”
I sure hope they don’t p*ss on anyone.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
September 12th, 2012
2:50 pm
curious :
“Anybody able to identify the time when we began having problems with Muslims?”
If you mean America, ask Thomas Jefferson.
“From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli !”
josef
September 12th, 2012
2:50 pm
MARTA is Atlanta and Georgia’s red headed stepchild and we all know why. In case we forget and lose focus, here’s BROTHER BEN’s not so subtle reminder:
“Wasn’t it MARTA that an unemployed lady living off welfare in the projects on its board of directors not too long ago?”
And, BEN, quite frankly such a board member probably has a lot more insight into what MARTA needs to know and deal with than some politico who wouldn’t know the #23 from the # 2 and who couldn’t make it through a train-bus change at Five Points if their career depended on it…
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:51 pm
F. Sink,
As I’ve said all along, the people who celebrate Obama the longest and loudest are the ones most screwed by his policies.
$4/gal for gas ticks me off, but I can afford it. Guys like Taxpayer, Fred, Ada, Kammy/Jammy…by the time it hits $5 they’ll all be riding around on little 2 horsepower scooters like some wild escapees from Mumbai or something.
Jay
September 12th, 2012
2:53 pm
““Stevie Ray, the Dems haven’t held power in this state for more than a decade. At what point does that excuse wear out?”
Really? When does the excuse run out on Bush being blamed by the Dems for everything?
Let’s explore those differences, shall we?
In the first place, we have less than four years vs. roughly 10 years, or 2.5 times longer.
Second, we’ve got policies and ongoing consequences from the Bush administration directly affecting conditions in today’s economy as well as today’s geopolitical world. Did the fact that Democrats made poor appointments more than 10 years in any way force Deal to make THIS bad appointment? Is that what you’re arguing?
Seriously, the level of discussion on this topic is juvenile. Rather than debate realities and policy, we get snickering about MARTA chairmen in the previous century? And this is passed off as clever repartee?
I would instead suggest that it confirms the thesis of this column.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:53 pm
“And, BEN, quite frankly such a board member probably has a lot more insight into what MARTA needs to know and deal with than some politico who wouldn’t know the #23 from the # 2 and who couldn’t make it through a train-bus change at Five Points if their career depended on it…”
Putting a welfare queen on MARTA’s board makes about as much sense as paying bus drivers $100K per year.
Liberals are so funny.
Towncrier
September 12th, 2012
2:53 pm
“If you want to explore the dysfunctions of transportation policy in Georgia, here’s a great place to start…”
Well, I think we need to go back about 25-30 years or more to really understand the “dysfunction”. What did Jesus say – “wisdom is proved right by her actions” (with I guess the opposite being true as well)?
larry
September 12th, 2012
2:54 pm
I thought the President didnt have anything to do with gas prices?
So… i guess back in 2008……… we could blame……
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:55 pm
If 10 years ago is irrelevant Jay, can we PLEASE shut Bill Clinton the hell up? PLEASE????
Keep Up the Good Fight!
September 12th, 2012
2:55 pm
by the time it hits $5 they’ll all be riding around on little 2 horsepower scooters like some wild escapees from Mumbai or something
Ahh, there’s that respect for other cultures and peoples.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
September 12th, 2012
2:56 pm
” …………….. two U.S. Marines sent to Benghazi when the clash erupted were shot and killed by the well-armed protesters.”
And where was the full Marine contingent normally staffed at Embassies and Consulates?
Had they been withdrawn? Whose decision was that?
There are many questions to be answered for those families.
larry
September 12th, 2012
2:56 pm
When did Bill Clinton become the governor of Georgia ?
As a lifelong Georgian, i missed those years somehow
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:57 pm
“I thought the President didnt have anything to do with gas prices?”
If you can’t see how restricting the supply of gasoline (blocking domestic drilling, blocking new refineries and pipelines, etc) affects the price, there’s really little I can do to help you.
Gas was $1.85 when Barack took office, $4 now.
The Energy Czar that Barack appointed is on record stating that he’d like to see gasoline around $8 a gallon.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:58 pm
“Ahh, there’s that respect for other cultures and peoples.”
If you want to ride a scooter to work, go buy you one.
Bloomberg Troll
September 12th, 2012
2:58 pm
jewcowboy
“That would be awesome. Any idea how to pay for it?”
As I said, drastically cut bus service. Save $. Build and operate rail. Smaller, but more effective transit option.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
September 12th, 2012
2:58 pm
Guys like Taxpayer, Fred, Ada, Kammy/Jammy…by the time it hits $5 they’ll all be riding around on little 2 horsepower scooters like some wild escapees from Mumbai or something.
Too funny!
Just filled up for $3.53 in N Ga. down from $3.66 a week ago.
Wee bairns like Hairy are so funny!
Normal Free...Pro Human Rights Thug...And liking it!
September 12th, 2012
2:58 pm
“Putting a welfare queen on MARTA’s board makes about as much sense as paying bus drivers $100K per year.”
Well, it makes more sense than listening to you…you are a hoot though, I’ll give you that.
jewcowboy
September 12th, 2012
2:58 pm
Bloomberg Troll,
“They’re called gas taxes.”
Fun fact: in 2007 all “user” fees such as gas taxes and tolls only covered 51% of road costs. Versus 31.7% farebox recovery for MARTA in 2007.
Now granted, that is a 20% difference. But for those who want transit to cover the additional 68.3% in fares, why are you not screaming for the additional 49% in roads to be covered by user fees?
josef
September 12th, 2012
2:58 pm
BEN
Welfare queen? So, she went from projects welfare to public official welfare? Maybe she’d be more “respectable” if she had taken that job with, oh, I don’t know…AIG?
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
September 12th, 2012
2:59 pm
“US won’t rule out Islamist militant link to attack on US Consulate in Libya”
Does anyone think that NBC headline might “provoke” Islamists ?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
September 12th, 2012
2:59 pm
Hey Ben, when you don’t have facts to back up your nonsense and childishness, there really little any of us can do to help you.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
2:59 pm
” we get snickering about MARTA chairmen in the previous century?”
It happened. Sorry, facts are facts.
Normal Free...Pro Human Rights Thug...And liking it!
September 12th, 2012
2:59 pm
Josef,
As a teacher, what’s your take on the Chicago strike? Inquiring minds, and all that…
Towncrier
September 12th, 2012
3:00 pm
“Because in the cultural conflict that passes for transportation debate in Georgia, MARTA is an agency that can do no right.”
BTW, Jay, Medved (to whom I listen on occasion) argues strongly that by and large mass transit rail systems almost all run in the red and by a large margin. He argues that while they may be “nice”, they always have to be subsidized because they never get enough riders. He suggests a more practical solution may be to invest the money in more transit buses or vans. How would you respond to that argument? Do you think rail systems should be subsidized ad infinitum instead of being self sufficient?
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
3:01 pm
“Hey Ben, when you don’t have facts to back up your nonsense and childishness, there really little any of us can do to help you.”
Just point out where I said anything non-factual and you’ll be brilliant.
Until such time, I’m afraid…….not so much.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
September 12th, 2012
3:01 pm
This figures …………. but I think they are “Mum” on MARTA also.
“U.N. mum on deaths of Americans. Secretary general, general assembly remain quiet about Muslim terror.”
jewcowboy
September 12th, 2012
3:01 pm
Bloomberg Troll,
“As I said, drastically cut bus service. Save $. Build and operate rail. Smaller, but more effective transit option.”
Just a reminder, heavy rail costs $250M per mile to build not including right-of-way acquisition.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
3:01 pm
jewcowboy, you know that buses have to have roads, right?
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
3:04 pm
MARTA’s board chairman from 13 years ago is irrelevant, but Mitt Romney’s taxes from the same time frame are a matter of vital national security.
Liberals are so funny.
You libs
September 12th, 2012
3:05 pm
Ben Shockley
God I’ll bet you were a whiny child.
the cat
September 12th, 2012
3:06 pm
Equating MARTA’s board chairman to a candidate for POTUS makes so much sense, NOT.
josef
September 12th, 2012
3:06 pm
NORMAL
I don’t think teachers (firefighters, medical workers, police or anyone else charged with the security and well being of society) should be walking picket lines. If you don’t put the kids and their education above and beyond other concerns, you should leave the calling and go to work some place else. Just my opinion, for what it’s worth…
Joseph
September 12th, 2012
3:07 pm
Good job on changing the subject Jay. Obama is having a really bad week so far… Lets talk about the Braves or the Falcons next…..
Towncrier
September 12th, 2012
3:07 pm
“Just a reminder, heavy rail costs $250M per mile to build not including right-of-way acquisition.”
Which is why a commitment of some sort (an outer loop or widespread rail) should have been made 25-30 years ago.
rightwing troll
September 12th, 2012
3:07 pm
Glen and his Richard are back!!!
Glen Richardson former Speaker of the GA house (for what little that dubious honor is worth) of the I was buggering a lobbyist while I was married, then tried to kill myself fame will be seeking a GA senate seat.
“I hope [the voters] trust my heart this time,” Richardson said.”
Awww… bless his little heart…
Sadly, the wingnuts will vote for him.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
September 12th, 2012
3:07 pm
MARTA’s board chairman from 13 years ago is campaigning to be the President of the United States of America?
Wee bairns such as Hairy are so funny!
rightwing troll
September 12th, 2012
3:07 pm
“God I’ll bet you were a whiny child.”
Were?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
September 12th, 2012
3:08 pm
If you can’t see how restricting the supply of gasoline (blocking domestic drilling, blocking new refineries and pipelines, etc) affects the price
Okay Bennie, do try to show that the supply of gasoline is restricted because drilling is blocked…. You might want to refer to prior blogs about gasoline prices. Domestic production is at an all time high.
Again, before posting, engage brain and then post an intelligent thought.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
3:08 pm
“Guest David Axelrod of the Obama campaign assured Schieffer: “Well, I think it’s about nonsense is what it’s about.” Minutes later, when RNC Chairman Reince Priebus pointed out “the President’s own energy czar said — and this is undisputed — that he wanted gas prices to go to European levels,” a clueless Schieffer talked over Priebus, demanding: “When did he say that?”
“Of course, though CBS News didn’t bother to report it, during a House hearing on Tuesday, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu “walked back,” as Politico put it, his 2008 statement: “Somehow, we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe.”
“Back in 2007, Barack Obama predicted “a lot of us are going to have to pay more per unit for electricity” to cover the higher cost of “green” energy production.”
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brent-baker/2012/03/18/clueless-bob-schieffer-befuddled-idea-obama-team-wants-higher-gas-price
Lots of fact wedgies for the libs today.
Towncrier
September 12th, 2012
3:09 pm
“Lots of fact wedgies for the libs today.”
LOL. You are funny, Ben.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
3:10 pm
There you have it folks…a campaign promise Obama kept…higher gas prices!!!!
Oh, and per the discussion downstairs….looks like he DOES want to be Europe after all.
larry
September 12th, 2012
3:10 pm
So, in Mr. Shockley’s little world , i can blame the president for high gas prices.
Well, i havent done it before, so i guess its alright to do it now.
So, ill blame President Bush for the extremely high gas prices of over $4.00 a gallon in 2008.
Never mind the traders at the commidities exchange. It was all Bush’s fault.
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
3:11 pm
You libs
September 12th, 2012
3:05 pm
“Ben Shockley
God I’ll bet you were a whiny child.”
LIBERALISM 101 – when you’ve got nothing, resort to an ad hominem personal attack.
the cat
September 12th, 2012
3:11 pm
Tell us Ben-what do European prices of gasoline cause to happen in Europe?
Say it with me-Alternative transportation! Get off your fat azz and ride a bike, walk, take transit. Leave the car at home.
Jay
September 12th, 2012
3:11 pm
“Just point out where I said anything non-factual and you’ll be brilliant”.
OK, cite your source for these $100,000 bus drivers you keep claiming. The only information I can find says that MARTA’s highest paid bus drivers ranked 132nd out of 252 transit systems nationwide.
Towncrier
September 12th, 2012
3:12 pm
“Never mind the traders at the commidities exchange. It was all Bush’s fault.”
Isn’t that what liberals have been saying all along?
Ben Shockley
September 12th, 2012
3:12 pm
“Never mind the traders at the commidities exchange. It was all Bush’s fault.”
Like I said…if you don’t know how artificially restricting the supply of a commodity affects price, I can’t help you.
Cosby
September 12th, 2012
3:13 pm
Gee..was it not to many yers agao that a woman was put on the board that was living off the taxpayers dole and had no experience with anything but being a moocher…yep..and you wonder why MARTA is in trouble
jewcowboy
September 12th, 2012
3:13 pm
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801,
Dude…we get it…you want to talk about Libya. Can you wait until at least the 2nd page before you try to hijack the thread?
TaxPayer
September 12th, 2012
3:14 pm
I sure hope they don’t p*ss on anyone.
Republicans should definitely keep their trickle down to themselves.
Peadawg
September 12th, 2012
3:14 pm
“MARTA’s board chairman from 13 years ago is irrelevant, but Mitt Romney’s taxes from the same time frame are a matter of vital national security.”
I didn’t know MARTA’s board chairman from 13 yrs ago is running for President!
jewcowboy
September 12th, 2012
3:14 pm
Ben Shockley,
“you know that buses have to have roads, right?”
Isn’t that what the gas tax is for?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
September 12th, 2012
3:14 pm
Cobb County unveiled Tuesday the results of a $1.8 million transit study for high-capacity bus service into Atlanta, a project designed to help relieve congestion along the county’s northwest corridor.
The study, which was 80 percent funded through federal and state dollars, is part of a $1.1 billion long-term plan to develop transit alternatives along I-75 and U.S. 41.
All part of Cobb County businesses building it themselves? For all their complaining, Cobb sure seems to have a love/hate relationship with MARTA.
Towncrier
September 12th, 2012
3:15 pm
“LIBERALISM 101 – when you’ve got nothing, resort to an ad hominem personal attack.”
That would be Foolish Political Arguments 101(which has enrolled students from all ideologies).
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
September 12th, 2012
3:15 pm
Good Americans died ………… but let’s talk about wasting money on MARTA.
CJ
September 12th, 2012
3:17 pm
[Medved] argues that while they may be “nice”, [mass transit rail systems] always have to be subsidized because they never get enough riders.
Towncrier,
Critics of mass transit rail tend to measured success only by how much fare is generated. On the other hand, roads, highways, airports and runways, and other forms of transportation infrastructure–all of which are government financed or subsidized–are graded by how much economic growth they generate for the affected communities and, consequently, tax revenues arising out of such economic growth.
When measuring return on investment, mass transit rail should be evaluated using the same approach that other forms of government financed or subsidized transportation infrastructure are evaluated. Apples-to-apples.
jewcowboy
September 12th, 2012
3:17 pm
Towncrier,
“Which is why a commitment of some sort (an outer loop or widespread rail) should have been made 25-30 years ago.”
Agreed. Though the problem with an outer loop is building capacity only temporarily relives congestion.